A D Venture Time Academy
by Andrexi
Summary: Welcome to A D Venture Time Academy! Where all your favorite residents of Ooo, Finn and Jake, Fionna and Cake, Princess Bubblegum, Flame Prince, and even a vampire or two, are forced by law to come and learn stuff! And by learn stuff, we mean drama! And mystery meat. And love triangles! Come check it out! We promise, there won't be a pop quiz at the end! *PSST WE LIED!*
1. When the Bell Rings

_**A/N:** Let me be honest. I don't really write fanfic. This came about when my brother and I wanted to revamp our Finn and Fionna cosplays to make them more of a school life anime sort of vibe. To go along with that, I wrote out a plot that would match the idea of Adventure Time characters all going to school together. In the end, we retired the cosplay, but I finished writing the story and figured, hey, might as well put this somewhere, right? This is really a one shot broken up into three parts to make it a smoother read._

_Anyway, hope you at least get a kick out of it!_

The A. D. Venture Time Academy opened when everyone realized there was no decent place to get an education. Founded by a most honorable person whose name no one seems to recall, it was the first school of higher than nothing learning in the land.

What the school looks like isn't all that important. It's what happens inside the three story, brick, steel, and gingerbread walls with wide windows and green double doors, complete with magic ice staircase at the entrance and a neon sign reading "A. D. Venture Time Academy" out front in the spacious grounds that's worth talking about.

Classes start at precisely 7:23 A.M.

Students that intend to be there on time have already taken their seats. Students that make a point to show up very late, if at all, continue to float by their lockers, hoping to be spotted by staff and reprimanded, as it gives them a chance to "Stick it to the Man, man."

One student doesn't fall into either of these categories. He would like to be on time, but is habitually late anyway. Sprinting through the halls at 7:24, Finn D. Human barely avoids slipping on the wet floor as he races by the cinnamon based school janitor. His blond hair sticks out in all directions, an unmanageable mess.

If there's a dress code at the school, no one knows it. Baggy navy shorts, black high tops, and a pale blue T-shirt don't provide much warmth in the winter, but Finn is never without his white jacket. The bear eared hood flaps out behind him like a flag as he runs. One hand clutches the strap of his green backpack while the other holds his homework, completed only recently.

At the end of the hall, only one classroom remains open. If he can make it before the door shuts, he might be able to avoid getting detention this weekend. And he really can't afford to have detention this weekend.

From inside the classroom, he sees the chalkboard and the back of the teacher writing on it. When the green skinned man turns, his eyes spot Finn from beneath the wide brimmed yellow hat. They narrow and Finn picks up the pace.

The race is on.

The teacher vaults over the first row of desks.

Finn wrinkles the homework as he pumps his arms faster.

The teacher knocks aside the projector.

Finn considers abandoning his backpack to lighten the load.

The teacher grabs ahold of the classroom door.

Finn ducks under his arm just as it slams shut.

"Very well, Finn," the teacher says, begrudgingly accepting the homework assignment offered to him. "Until tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow." Though gasping for breath, Finn walks proud, dropping into the last empty seat in the middle of the classroom.

"You know, if you didn't wait until breakfast to do your homework, you wouldn't have to race Mr. Man every day." A girl sits beside him, her long blonde hair held up in pigtails with a couple of floppy white bows, making her look a bit like a bunny. The sleeves of her sky blue shirt trail across the desk as she takes notes. Underneath her darker blue skirt, she wears a pair of white leggings, a fashion choice mandated by school faculty due to Fionna's habit of kicking the faces of those who annoy her.

"How can I do homework when there are zombies to bash?" Finn asked, dumping the contents of his backpack onto the desk. Notebooks tumble out over candy bars while and broken pencil tries to make its escape, rolling to the edge of the desk.

Fionna smirked. "You're still stuck on bashing zombies?" she asked, catching the pencil before it can clatter to the floor.

"Maybe." This felt like a trap. "Why? What are you bashing?"

"Nothing," she said, continuing note taking with her newly acquired prize.

"No. There is never just nothing," Finn argued, accidentally sounding deep in his quest to find out what monsters his friend had been fighting behind his back. "Tell me."

Fionna looked quite set on keeping her mouth shut. Then she took pity on him. "Robo-werewolves from space."

"No way!" His outburst received an eraser right to the face. With a chalk dust square marking his cheek, Finn continued to stare incredulously at Fionna. She refused to say another word on the topic.

After class, Fionna fully expected Finn to pester her about not inviting him to battle intergalactic steam powered lycanthropes, but back out in the safety of the school hallway, he became oddly focused.

"Have you seen Flame Princess?" Finn asked, standing on his backpack to see over the colorful crowd of students milling about.

"Not this morning. Why?"

"What? No reason." Finn made that face he made when he was lying. And also when he was hungry. Fionna wasn't sure which one this situation was, since she herself was also pretty hungry.

"Oh, come now, Fionna! It's obvious why Finn's looking for her." Turning, Fionna found one of the school's co-presidents waltzing towards them. "He wants to ask her to the dance!"

Finn turned the same color pink as Princess Bubblegum's complexion. "No. I, I just want to talk to her."

"Don't be shy, Finn," Princess Bubblegum said, tossing her long fuscia hair back. She wore so many shades of pink, it was hard to tell them all apart. A mid length hot pink dress over amaranth tights and cotton candy heels, complete with a short carnation jacket embroidered with the school crest on the lapel. Only the gold necklace set with a green stone provided any sort of color contrast. "It's wonderful to see young love begin to bloom over the dance I put so much time into."

"You mean the dance _we_ put so much time into." Prince Gumball, A. D. Venture Time's other co-president joined their group. "We are both in charge of the Housegoing committee."

It might have been their shared love of the color pink that led the rest of the school to believe these two could easily share a presidency. Prince Gumball currently wore a pink argyle sweater vest, also bearing the school crest, over a pale pink button up and perfectly ironed charm pink pants. He kept his hair styled up, as perfect as his pants.

Princess Bubblegum cast her co-president a glowering glare, hands clutching the bottom of her flowing dress. "Yes, we are," she agreed, voice sugary sweet and dangerously calm. "And I'm sure everyone is going to think your snack contributions are just as important as my lighting and music."

Offended, Prince Gumball's arms folded across his chest. "If it were up to you, we'd have stale chips and store bought punch."

"If it were up to you we'd have nothing more than a disco ball and some flashlights."

"Don't you have your date to build?"

"Don't you have a soufflé to burn?"

"So, are you really asking Flame Princess to the dance?" Fionna brought her attention from the arguing student council leaders back to Finn.

"Well, yeah, I guess so." Finn tugged his jacket hood up, trying to hide beneath the bear ears. "She'll probably say no."

Fionna quickly moved to disagree, but was interrupted by Princess Bubblegum.

"That all depends on how you ask her."

Finn gazed up with a blank look. "How I ask her? You mean, with an accent?"

"No," Prince Gumball shook his head. "With spectacle!"

"He's right."

From down the hall came a tall young man, giving off a warm yellow glow as he moved. Laying eyes the group, Flame Prince quickly changed his course to walk over. Unnoticed at first, he opened his mouth to greet them, but was silenced by the rare act of the co-presidents agreeing on something.

"School dances are beyond important," Princess Bubblegum continued. "And it's a time to show that person you like that you think they're beyond important, too."

"You can't just go up and ask her like you're borrowing a pencil," said Prince Gumball. "You have to put some effort into it."

"And, how do I do that?" Finn asked, listening as intently as Flame Prince.

"With a choreographed dance number," Princess Bubblegum declared.

"Or a clever limerick," Prince Gumball added. Flame Prince tugged anxiously at the collar of his orange jacket.

"Fireworks!"

"A huge sign!"

"Something big!"

"Something memorable!"

"A grand gesture!" they said together.

Suddenly relieved that he was still unnoticed, Flame Prince slowly backed away, his red boots making no sound as he disappeared back into the crowd of students.

Fionna took her overwhelmed friend by the shoulders and turned him to face her. "Or you just ask her," she said to Finn, ignoring the groans from the other two. "If she wants to go with you, she'll be happy you had to courage to asked her at all."

Slowly, Finn pulled himself out of his daze. "You're right," he said, nodding once. Then nodding again with renewed determination. "You're right! I'm going to go ask her right now!" Sliding past Princess Bubblegum and Prince Gumball, Finn raced down the hall.

The bell rang moments and the others dispersed, heading to their own classes. Just when the hallway was almost empty, Flame Princess herself happened along. Her simple ensemble, pleated orange skirt, black flats, and a pretty red top somehow enhanced the soft light she gave off as she went down the hall.


	2. Everybody's Favorite Class

Lunch begins at 12:17 in the afternoon.

The cafeteria is the second largest room in the school, next to the Prisoner Dungeons/Treasure Hold. Finn dropped down next to Fionna at one of the many round tables, a groan accompanying his arrival.

"Still no luck?" Fionna asked, though she was in the midst of biting into a bagel sandwich and it sounded more like, "Swill mo luct?"

"Every time I try to find her, I get interrupted by the bell," he lamented, dropping his head onto the tabletop. "We don't have any classes together!"

Fionna took a drink from her milk carton before speaking. "Don't give up. You usually see her at school eventually, right?"

"Yeah, but I'm not usually looking, so it's harder now." Finn propped his chin up on his arms.

"Have you checked the gym?"

"Yeah."

"Art rooms?"

"Yep."

"Library?"

"She was banned."

"Oh yeah."

Fionna's apple suddenly decided gravity was so yesterday and began floating up off the table. Without blinking, Fionna slapped the air, her fruit dropping into her other hand as Marshall Lee appeared.

"Aw, come on, Fionna," he pouted, rubbing his cheek. "Have a heart."

"Go get your own, Marshall," she said, taking a bite of the apple herself to make a point.

"Mean. It's like you don't love me anymore." Fionna rolled her eyes as Marshall Lee sat down beside her. His dark skinny jeans and red and black plaid shirt worn open over a grey band t-shirt somehow made Marshall look taller than he already was. He gestured to Finn, a couple of black cuffs strapped around his wrists. "What's his problem?"

"He wants to ask Flame Princess to the dance," Fionna informed him, tugging Finn back up into his seat when he threatened to sink into the floor. "But he hasn't been able to find her yet."

Marshall Lee scoffed. "You're going to that lame dance the taffy twins are putting on?"

"I think they're made of gum actually," Finn replied, halfheartedly looking around the cafeteria for a source of glowing light.

"Yeah, because that makes their dance much cooler." He leaned over, making as if to steal Fionna's red apple right out of her mouth. Her blue eyes steeled into a death glare and Marshall changed his mind at the last second. Hooking his legs around the metal bar under the table, he threw his arms behind his head and casually leaned back. "I wouldn't be caught dead at a school dance."

"Then I hope you can still play guitar as a zombie." Marshall Lee was shoved forward as Marceline walked behind him, taking one of the remaining chairs.

"Uh, come again?"

"Our band is playing at Housegoing." Marceline looked like the type of girl who'd stolen her wardrobe off a rock obsessed demon, which she very well might have. Shredded black tights and dark shorts, combat boots laced with red, and a tank top that barely met public regulations beneath a charred leather jacket with the sleeves torn off. To top it over, everything was adorn with chains and glittering silver studs.

"What?" Marshall Lee looked completely appalled. "No it's not! Why in the name of the Nightosphere would we ever do that?"

"Oh, I don't know." Marceline put her elbow on the table, resting her cheek on her fist as she glared at him. "Maybe I want to give back to our community. Maybe I want to educate the student body as to what good music is. Or maybe." She slammed the palm of her hand down, making all three of them jump. "Maybe some idiot sucks at being a look out, getting us caught during our last big prank, and instead of detention, Principal Treetrunks is making us provide music for the stupid school dance!"

"Hey, they had Ghost Princess patrolling the girl's locker room," Marshall objected, the whole cafeteria quaking under the Vampire Queen's rage. "Ghost beats vampire. You know that Marcy."

"DO NOT CALL ME MARCY!"

Fionna suddenly found herself in a different chair, right next to Marceline with Marshall Lee somehow sitting where she had been before.

"So, you guys pulled a big prank?" she prompted, eager to lighten the mood, or maybe just not reading the tense situation.

"Yeah." Marceline took a deep, calming breath, sleek black hair falling down past her shoulders again. "Filled all the sink faucets and showerheads with blue dye. Did you see the cheerleading team this morning?" Her sharp fangs showed in the proud grin. "That was all us."

"Really?" Finn climbed up onto his chair, playing desperate look out. "I heard LSP taking credit for that earlier."

Both Marceline and Marshall Lee shot to their feet.

"He better not be!" Marceline growled.

"I just saw that purple gas cloud chatting away on his phone outside," Marshall Lee reported as the two raced off to rightfully claim their street cred.

"Outside!" Finn exclaimed, jumping off the chair. "I haven't checked the archery fields yet!" Finn followed Marceline and Marshall Lee out the west doors.

Left alone at her table, Fionna finished her meal in peaceful silence. Getting up to throw away her garbage, she met Flame Prince on his way in, carrying a box of what looked like extremely illegal fireworks.

"Hey, Flame Prince," she greeted with a smile.

He froze at the sight of her. Not literally, of course. Fire still moved across his skin, curling around his orange jacket and red belts, providing a low heat that lifted his bright hair up into the air. Stiffly, he waved back before turning on his heel and retreating back out of the cafeteria.

This would be the second awkward encounter they'd had that day. After science, Fionna had greeted her friend as he went along carrying a bunch of musical instruments. At the sight of her, he'd gotten a panicked look on his face, though that could have been because one of the trumpets had suddenly burst into flames.

Watching him run away from her again, Fionna lifted her arm, sniffing under the pit just to check.

Nope. All clear there.

Chalking it up to boys being genetically weird, Fionna tossed her empty milk carton and headed out.

Flame Princess came in from the outside through the east doors just then, craving a chicken salad sandwich.


	3. In Conclusion

School lets out at 3:07 P.M.

Finn collapsed down onto the ice stairs leading up to the school entrance. Students go about around him, happy to escape the place they know they will have to return all too soon.

Most of their talk is about the school dance. Guys are boasting about who their date will be. Girls are discussing strategy and how to color coordinate one's dress with their preferred choice in weaponry. Someone says something about a corsage.

It's probably a good thing he never found Flame Princess. Finn had no idea what jalapeños a corsage is.

"Finn?" Feeling someone very warm sit beside him, Finn raised his head to look over. Flame Princess tucks a lock of her long, radiant hair back, her head tilted slightly to the side. "What's wrong? You look sad."

"Flame Princess!" Finn sat up straight. He should be nervous now. He was nervous all week, trying to work up the courage to ask her. Jake tried coaching him on what he should say, but even when practicing with his best friend, Finn constantly tripped over his own words.

But after searching tirelessly all day, resigning himself to failure, there was no time to let nerves interrupt him now.

"I'm not sad," he insisted, hoping his words weren't coming out too fast. "Well, I was sad, but I'm not anymore. Because you're here!"

The color in Flame Princess's cheeks began to glow a pretty shade of amber. "You're happy I'm here?"

"I am," Finn said, leaning closer despite the heat simmering off her. "I wanted to ask you if you'll go to the dance with me."

From the top of the stairs, unbeknownst to Finn, the rest of his friends stood. Like Finn, they leaned closer, eager for the answer.

"No."

Money changed hands between Prince Gumball and Marshall Lee. Fionna slapped them both in the back of their heads.

Steam from the melting ice rose up between them and Finn wondered if it was thick enough for him to use as a smoke screen and make his escape.

"I'm sorry Finn." Flame Princess was still talking, but it took a minute for Finn's brain to catch up. She looked sincere. "Someone just asked me."

"Ugh. Not just someone, missy." Marceline and Princess Bubblegum were pushed to the side as Lumpy Space Prince came floating through. Fionna latched herself onto Marceline's arm before she could give the pompous purple monarch a second black eye that day.

"My gurl is out of comish with mono," he boasted, coming to a stop next to Finn and Flame Princess. "And if I can't go with my lady, who is hottest in the most sexy way, then I have to settle and go with the lady who is hottest in the most temperature way."

Princess Bubblegum leaned over to whisper to the others. "He's saying it's mono, but I hear she just has late onset rooster pocks." Marshall Lee didn't try to suppress his bark of laughter.

Flame Princess offered Finn a small frown. "I didn't think anyone else was going to ask me," she admitted. "The dance is tonight."

"Dang straight it's tonight." LSP crossed his arms, giving Finn a stern glare to back off. "And don't you forget it. Pick me up at seven."

"See you then." Flame Princess waved a friendly good bye as her date floated to where his car waited.

Looking down, Finn slowly got to his feet, gathering his shredded dignity in hopes of making a subtle escape.

"Well, that's okay," he said. "I'm sure you guys will have fun. I'm glad you're going with someone."

Chewing on the corner of her lip, Flame Princess held her hands behind her back, looking shyly up at him.

"But, you know." She took a small step closer, Finn looking up when she did. "I'm not doing anything tomorrow night. Maybe we could go play minigolf. Or bash some zombies." Flame Princess shrugged. "I mean, if you want to."

"I, yeah yeah!" Finn's emotions spun around like a tornado filled with happy sharks. His face lit up, suddenly excited. "Next weekend! I love minibash. I mean, zombie golf. I mean-"

Laughing, Flame Princess leaned forward, lightly pecking his cheek with a kiss and effectively shutting him up. "I'll see you later, Finn," she said.

Finn managed to wait until she'd walked down the stairs and got into her father's car before he began jumping up and down.

"You're going to hurt yourself," Fionna warned though she felt just as giddy as her friend.

"She said yes!" he cheered. "Well, not really. But she asked _me_ out, on a real date! And that counts more than a school dance." Finn stopped mid-celebration. "I think. But what if it doesn't? I have to go ask Jake!"

Fionna continued to smile even as Finn raced away. Unfortunately, when she turned and saw Marshall Lee, it faded. Hovering just a few feet away, he looked so sullen that a grey cloud began forming over his head, ready to rain on any and all parades.

"Do you have to look so grouchy just because someone else is happy?" she questioned.

Instead of answering, he demanded, "Are you going to the stupid dance?"

Taken aback, Fionna replied slowly. "I don't think so," she said, uncertain as to where the sudden topic change would lead. "Cake is going with Lord Monochromicorn and I don't want to be a third wheel on their date, so." Fionna shrugged, having already planned to spend tonight totally crushing it on Kompy's Kastle.

"You should go," he said.

"Um, what?"

"Wheelbarrows have three wheels," Marshall told her, dark eyes looking away. "So, you should go."

"Go, to the dance you mean?"

Out of the green double doors came Flame Prince, struggling under the weight of a box filled with fireworks and a large, rolled up sign. Behind him, members of the school band marched, ready to put themselves in position. Spotting Fionna in the middle of a conversation, Flame Prince held up his hand, cutting off the band before the dramatic oboe solo could begin.

"Yes, to the dance I mean." Marshall Lee's voice came out short. Receiving Fionna's angry glare in response, he continued quickly in a softer tone. "I mean, I have to go, because Marcy is making me, to play the music. And if you don't have a date, you should go. And we could hang out at the dance." He ran a hand through his black hair, desperately trying to pull off acting casual. "But, you know, it's whatever."

"Marshall?" Fionna couldn't help but grin, watching his skin take on a faint hue of red. "Are you asking me to the dance?"

"No!" he objected, not making eye contact. "But, if you're there, and I'm there, then we'd both be there, and we could, whatever, drink the awful punch and hang out and, whatever, and dance, if you want." Marshall Lee crossed his arms as he added one last, "Whatever."

Prince Gumball almost objected to the adjective used to describe his punch, but Princess Bubblegum clamped her hand firmly over his mouth. Flame Prince could only stare in disbelief, the painstakingly gathered elements for his "grand gesture" going to waste as Fionna nodded.

"Sure," she said, still wearing that teasing grin. "I'll go to the stupid dance and whatever."

Marshall Lee froze for a moment. His eyes almost seemed to widen in surprise. Arms falling to his sides, he looked back at Fionna and wondered if she was going to yell "Psych!" and kick him in the face again. When she didn't, he slowly let himself smile back.

The sudden change in the universe seemed to have been enough to tear a hole in reality and summon Fionna's best friend from the other side of the school.

"Fi, were you planning on going to the dance without telling me?" Cake grabbed onto Fionna's shoulders, shaking her vigorously.

"Ah! Too, w-wobbly, can't see!" Marshall Lee reached out to help, but decided it would be best not to get involved and instead floated back out of reach.

"The dance is tomorrow night, girl!" Cake chided, ceasing her shaking only to begin dragging Fionna away. "We need to get you a dress! To the mall!"

"Woah, what!?" Fionna dug her heels into the ground, but it proved wildly ineffective. "Wait, I, I changed my mind! I don't want to go! Cake, please don't make me wear a dress!"

Fionna's objections faded quickly, leaving only two lines dug into the earth as Cake pulled her their ride.

Discomfort spread amongst the waiting band members. Someone cleared their throat and they quickly began to disperse, littering the air with Tough lucks, Bad timings, and one "But what about my solo?"

Outwardly, Marshall Lee just shrugged, reverting back to his unfazable air of Whatever. But his eyes were bright and maybe, just maybe, he was celebrating his head just as much as Finn had been. Turning around, he saw Flame Prince with the box of fireworks and sign unfurling at his feet. The words "Will you go" where just becoming visible. A triumphant smirk curled his lips and showed his sharp fangs.

"Better luck next time, fire boy," he chuckled, making his way in the opposite direction.

The air around Flame Prince became hot and he made to lunged at the cocky vampire.

"Easy there, tiger." Marceline clicked her tongue as Prince Gumball put his arm around Flame Prince's shoulders, part comfort and part trying to hold him back.

"Come on, now. There's no point in starting a fight," he said.

"Don't fret," Princess Bubblegum said encouragingly. "There's always next time."

Marceline shook her head, watching Marshall Lee walk to his motorcycle with a quickness in his step. "Yeah, if they're not dating by then."


End file.
